iPhone 6S to emerge spring 2015 with Apple Watch?

Apple is going to launch a new iPhone this spring, possibly alongside its Apple Watch which is due around that time, according to the mobile grapevine.

The Daily Mail picked up on a report by the Stabley Times which has a source (in the manufacturing chain) who insists that Apple is going to have two iPhone launches next year – with the iPhone 6S emerging next spring, and the iPhone 7 in the autumn (September, when the new Apple smartphone is traditionally released).

This would, of course, be a major change for Apple, and the reasoning would appear to be that Cupertino would get two chunks of profit flowing in from a new model next year, as opposed to just the one major iPhone sales blowout at the tail end of the year.

There is only so much handset upgrading that can be done, though, given most folks’ budgets and desire to get decent value for money out of their phone – or more to the point the two-year contract they’ve purchased. The fact that the source isn’t one of the major Apple rumour outlets also lends itself to encouragements to take the usual pinch of salt here.

That said, the Times’ source does note that the iPhone 6S allegedly launching in the spring will be a mid-range model, and that Apple feels its smartwatch launch might be a bit hollow if it doesn’t happen alongside another iPhone model.

In other words, people might not buy the new Apple Watch straight away if there isn’t a handset out with it, and instead wait until the iPhone comes out in the autumn to make their purchase. That does make some sense. Indeed, the 6S and Apple Watch may be bundled together, and presumably sold with some sort of discount...

Make your own minds up on this one, but Apple also has an iPad Pro to launch next year – which would make for a hell of a launch schedule alongside other iPad refreshes, the smartwatch, and two separate iPhone launches, plus the usual Macs and so forth. Apple TV is also due a major refresh if the rumour mill is to be believed.